Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-06-08

serpent mystery a Lnks chnmplain, and
his solution WIN perhaps apply % many
along shore mysteries Of the same sort.
He writes e follows
s'Going 70 my front door last Friday
morning found many people, with more
or less excitement, looking ct the lake.
I asked teamster opposite my door what
was the cause Of e. He replied that the
sea serpent was IN the hay. I said:
Have you seen himis He replied that
he had, and that Il Ind only lust sunk
from view, and would soon probably
reappear. The words were hardly uttered
before he pointed frantically toward the
lake, and said: There be III There he iai'E
and sure enough right III front ~ me nc1
two miles away, the lake being scarcely
implied, the air clear q plate glass, Ibe-
held the SEQ serpent, and must say that
the spectacle was truly : most startling
one. In my wanderings have CHANGED
to see some strange things and had cause
TO note some Of the deceits that nature,can
practice on the senses, but am free TO
say that never saw on land o. sea an ap-
pearance more startling than ! saw Ia
Burlington bay in front Of my house last
Friday morning. The appearance has
been many times described with . fair
degree Of accuracy. In length the serpen1
seemed atleast 100 feet longer than . canal
boat would at that distance. IT. color
was at times Of . slaty brown, and at
others y seemed 70 Be Glistsning white,
like the scales Of shad. Its motion was
,undulatory, and kind Of quivering it,
whole length characterized k. Il moved
with astonishing rapidity toward the
north, and when IL was showing the full
length Of it, appearance 4 sank from
sight.
''This d plain account Of the sea ser
pent Is saw it. The deceit was perfect.
The coolest observer and the most skepti-
cal would have been perfectly convinced
that his eyes had beheld 8 marine mon
ster. have field glass Of great value,
and, thinking that the serpent would ap-
pear again, / stepped quickly to where Il
hangs in the hail and adjusted the lenses
Cor the distance. "A lady's hand 1T the
acquired range would show it, fingers
plainly. The first thought Of Incredibly,
- / stood gazing at it before took my
glass, arose from the fact Of the exceeding
rapidity with which Il was moving. No
body, i said to myself, could eve
move through the water as fast @ thas
thing was going. / had hardly reached
the veranda again when the cry rang alCs.g
the street, There he i'll There he e
againp and, sure enough, there wa The
serpent once more, white and shiny, noy-
ing with immense rapidity, with tho same
peculiar vibrating motion. brought my
glass to bear upon Il Instantly, and the
mystery was that instant solved The
immense sea monster resolved itaeH into
several hundreds Of small birds II the
pl0ver family, dying IA long line, which
swung down and 70 the right q left @
they fiew. The under side Of their wings
and breasts was snowy white; their backs
wsre slaty brown. When Ii the
long or short curvings Of their flight.
they were flying It such an anglia - re-
CARDS the gazer that the under side Of
their wings and breasts we're seen, the
serpent, long and white, appeared. When
they took some slant % another angle,
wings were turned toward the Raxer, the
white line faded out sra the molstor
seemed to sink from View. The .Quivor-
ipg and vibrating motions OF the monster
were thus explained. The quick AutteR
OF their little wings, In long line ex-
tended, the gradual swoop mp and down
IN their flight, made the appearance per
feet. The immense speed Of the serpent
was accounted for, his motion belnQ the
motion Of quick winged birds. cleaSing the
air, and not Of an aquatic monster rush
ing through the water.
THAT this true account and perfect
solution Of the Champlain go seEpent The
public may believe, Tor had not only the
opportunity 70 80, One sea serpent that
morning, but saw three 81 the Same In
slant; one rounding Blur Point, one
about mile out heading q jOin Il, md
another north Of Juniper Island; md 20 I
speak with the certainty Of one who knows
whereof be ahirms But The appearance
y . most deceitful one, and with the I'M